Long a fan of his music, NY trumpeter Kirk Knuffke joined with saxophonist Joe McPhee and his quartet of Christof Knoche (bass clarinet), Michael Bisio (bass) and Jay Rosen (drums), following Knuffke's wife's advice to "keep the dream up" as the quintet recorded a series of exceptional collective improvisations, one Knuffke compositions and at Knuffke's request, a poem/"Invocation" from McPhee.
Performing on the family of clarinets, reedists Michael Marcus and Perry Robinson recorded this album in 2016 in New Haven with drummer Jay Rosen, performing three Marcus and one Rosen composition, weaving their playing in a balanced triangle of sound, Rosen's diverse rhythmic approaches — mallets, drum kit, brush work — adding warmth and energy to a well-balanced album.
The 2nd album from the quartet of Joe McPhee on tenor saxophone, Warren Smith on vibraphone, Michael Marcus on reeds and Jay Rosen on drums, formed from a 2018 Jazzgalerie Nickelsdorf date with NY drummer Jay Rosen rounding out the quartet, this album extends their accessibly relaxed and creatively magnificent approach to free and structured jazz.
Woodwind player Michael Marcus' duo with drummer Jay Rosen performed with fellow reedsman Joe McPhee and a 2nd drummer at the Jazzgalerie Nickelsdorf in 2018, the concept so appealing that he took it to the studio in New York, with Warren Smith handling the 2nd drum part and cementing this unusually orchestrated and elegantly passionate band as "The Blue Reality Quartet".
NY multi-reedist Michael Marcus (Cosmosamatics), here on clarinet, in a large ensemble including Lenwood Turner on trumpet & John Austria on Rhodes piano, performing original and intricate compositions.